Global warming may eventually spell the end for polar bears, but it helped another endangered species yesterday: the Darling Chancellorship.

Even though the Chancellor chose to delay many of the “green” measures he announced, his inaugural Budget was packed full of new environmental taxes.

Indeed, if the threat of climate change did not already exist, politicians such as Mr Darling would surely invent it. What else provides such a wonderful cover for filling empty Treasury coffers? Nobody minds paying a bit more to save the ice caps. But sadly, Mr Darling’s plans are not going to make a scrap of difference to the environment. If the restructuring of vehicle excise duty raises as much as the £1.2 billion Mr Darling expects, then surely the policy is a failure. Tens of thousands of people will still be driving the most polluting cars; they will just be paying a bit more to the Treasury for the privilege.

Nor should the Chancellor expect any gratitude from motorists for delaying the 2p a litre increase in fuel duty. Tax already makes up about two thirds of the forecourt price, with fuel duty in the UK twice the rate of the European average. In 2006 drivers paid more than £30 billion in transport-related taxes but of this, only £8 billion was spent on the crumbling road network. Meanwhile, virtually every government policy over the past ten years, from closing rural post offices and local hospitals to encouraging out-of-town supermarkets, has made people more reliant on their cars. What Mr Darling either does not seem to understand, or is cynically willing to exploit, is that public transport is an unrealistic or unreliable alternative for most people. When fuel duty does go up in October, teachers in Gloucestershire will still need to drive to their schools. They will just be a bit worse off for doing so.

Rose-tinted specs fail to offer hope

The obvious justification for Mr Darling’s relatively upbeat scenario is that the outlook is fraught with uncertainty

Background

• Darling's first Budget: the main points

• The Chancellor's speech in full

• Darlings first Budget: the reaction

• Chancellor hits the home budget as his debts soar

• Need to know: Budget 2008

The Chancellor delivers a modest Budget

As so often is the case, virtue, in terms of improving public finances, is not now, but at least a year away

Multimedia

• Video sketch: Matthew Parris and Ann Treneman

• Eco-worrier: should we be pleased?

• Green Central: round-up of the green Budget measures

Related Links

• Pensioner groups dismiss winter fuel payment rise

Multimedia

• Red Box: a list of Darling's new enemies

• The winners and losers

• Video: the 'fingers crossed' budget

The irony in the Chancellor’s vacuous plans to tackle climate change is that the more pressing need for millions of Britons is to stay warm each winter.

Almost five million people in the UK are in fuel poverty, meaning they spend more than 10 per cent of their income on energy bills, and 55,000 die each winter because of cold-related illnesses, a far greater number than in countries such as Finland and Russia that have much harsher climates.

Despite the Chancellor’s posturing before the Budget, little of any substance was announced to help these people. Yes, he announced an extra £50 for pensioners on the winter fuel allowance but otherwise there was nothing but a vague commitment to continue talking to the energy suppliers. But talk alone will not help. Firmer action is required.

If the Chancellor really wants to help the fuel poor, he should insist that the energy suppliers automatically put all customers over the age of 65 on their cheapest tariffs. This would save the two thirds of pensioners who have never switched supplier about £200 every year. He should also legislate so that prepayment tariffs are never more than 5 per cent more expensive than the cheapest online deals.

The millions of people forced to turn off their boilers to afford their energy bills each month do not have the luxury of waiting for global warming to heat their homes.

Explore Economics

• Autumn Budget 2007

• Budget 2008

• World Economic Forum

• The Times MPC

Times Recommends

• Bovis and Redrow axe close to 1,000 jobs
• Irate M&S shareholders demand fresh talks
• Investors rally to B&B amid fears of contagion